Investigating the Level of Bloom’s Cognitive Verbs Included in Baccalaureate English Language Exams in Iraq

The present study aims to investigate the revised Bloom’s cognitive level (verbs) that included in the Baccalaureate English Language exams. The sample of the study consisted from the Baccalaureate English Language exams’ forms for the years 2016,2017,2018, and 2019 in the first and second attempts. To this end, the following null hypothesis has set “there is no statistical differences in the percentage of using Bloom’s cognitive taxonomy in the Baccalaureate exams that can be attributed to the cognitive levels”. To achieve the aim and to prove the hypothesis of the study, the researcher built a scale and elicited its reliability and validity.The results revealed that the Baccalaureate exams measure students’ cognitive levels in “Remember”, “Understand” and “Create” and have neglected students’ cognitive levels in “Apply”, “Analyze”, and “Evaluate”. In fact, the neglected cognitive levels are included in the “English for Iraq 6th preparatory ‘Teacher Book’ Guide”. Also, the Speaking and listening skills are neglected too. According to Bloom’s cognitive taxonomy, the exams have measured the second level of cognitive with ratio 60% , the first level was 20%, and the sixth level was 20% only. Whereas, the third, fourth, and fifth levels were 0%.